There’s no one-size-fits-all container. Sure, there are popular materials and configurations, but every kind of material or goods being packaged and/or transported has different properties, and thus, so too must their containers. That isn’t just best practice, it’s the law. For example, there are different types of packaging specifically designed and approved for packaging radioactive materials.
Per regulations in the UK and the US, there are five different types of radioactive packaging:
- Excepted
- Industrial
- Type A
- Type B
- Type C
To understand which type of packaging to use, packagers/shippers must understand the radioactive material they are planning to contain and any anticipated conditions they may encounter during transport.
Excepted packages are packages in which the radioactive content is so low that potential hazards are relatively insignificant. These packages don’t require specific testing or labeling. A common example would be a simple postal package used to pack and transport radiopharmaceuticals for medical purposes.
Industrial packages are typically for low-level radioactive waste and non-radioactive objects with mild surface contamination. These are required to be properly labeled and documented on shipping papers. A typical 55-gallon drum containing radioactive contaminated PPE from a cleanup site would, for example, be an industrial package.
Type A packages are used for the transport of relatively small, but significant, quantities of radioactive material. The amount of radionuclides they can contain is limited by IAEA and/or DOT regulations to ensure that, in the event of an incident, the risks from contamination are relatively low. An example of a material requiring Type A packaging would be radioisotopes for medical diagnoses or some nuclear fuel cycle materials.
Type B packages are required for the transport of highly radioactive material. They are rigorously tested and must be able to withstand expected accident conditions without endangering the general public or those tasked with clean-up. Spent nuclear fuel, for example, would require a Type B packaging.
Type C packages were developed to transport highly radioactive material by air. These must satisfy all additional requirements of Type A packages and most of the additional requirements of Type B packaging. They undergo the most rigorous testing to ensure they might withstand an airplane crash among other extreme conditions.
Radioactive material is very common in numerous industries. Nearly 3 million shipments containing radioactive materials are transported in the United States every year. And those shipments are, rightfully, highly regulated.
Steel drums, like the ones we manufacture at Skolnik Industries, are often used for Industrial Packages (IP). As IP are sub-divided into three categories and require testing, it is common for these containers to be designed specifically for the characteristics of the material they will contain.
Strict rules about hazardous and radioactive material packaging are designed to protect the public, even in the event that something goes wrong. Whatever role you play in the creation, packaging and transportation of these materials, be alert and do your due diligence in regards to proper packaging and regulations.